Synopsis
Dylan McDermott is a struggling writer in LA (cue de rigueur pseudo-profundities about thesoulless evil of Hollywood, many provided by ice-bitch agent Sharon Stone). He sets himself upin a house where murders took place, and starts work on a book about the murders. He rents aroom to Tom Sizemore, Norman Bates-ish in his shyness and fastidiousness. Guess that meanshe’s bad news, right? The plot asks rather too much good faith on our part, and so suspense iscrushed by falling…suspension of disbelief. Stone at times is rather awkward in a role she shouldhave been able to do in her sleep. Sizemore, however, is very good. The part may be a cliche,but he inhabits it perfectly.
Audio
The case plays coy about the sound format, which smells like 2.0 to me. A very nice 2.0 itis, though. The audio is as clear as you could wish, and not a single opportunity to create anenvironment with background sound effects is missed.
Video
The format is 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen, and is a solid transfer. The print is in fineshape. Forced to pick nits, I might ask for slightly stronger blacks and contrasts. A couple ofnight scenes show some grain as well. But generally speaking the picture looks very good.
Special Features
Nothing much here: a basic menu and trailers for Where Sleeping Dogs Lie, Enough andPanic Room.
Closing Thoughts
There are plenty of individually strong elements to the film, though the whole is less thantheir sum. You certainly could do worse, though.
Special Features List
- Trailers
